Outstanding faculty and staff were honored at the Arizona Arts’ 2025 Convocation with awards recognizing exceptional achievements across a range of categories, from teaching and mentoring to service and leadership.
Charles and Irene Putnam Excellence in Teaching Award
Considered the college’s most prestigious recognition of excellence in teaching, as demonstrated by outstanding achievement in teaching during the eligible review period.
Chad Nicholson
School of Music
James Anthony Award for Sustained Excellence in Teaching
Presented to a member of the college faculty, who has consistently demonstrated a sustained level of outstanding achievement in teaching. This is an award to recognize the longevity of excellence.
Thomas Cockrell
School of Music
Roy A. & Stardust K. Johnson Faculty Mentoring Award
Presented to a faculty member in recognition of outstanding faculty-to-faculty and/or faulty-to-graduate teaching assistant mentoring.
Tamara Dyke-Compton
School of Dance
Undergraduate Advising / Mentoring Award
Presented to a faculty member (adjuncts and academic professionals), or graduate teaching assistants, who exhibit true excellence in undergraduate advising or mentoring.
Matt Mugmon
School of Music
Arizona Arts Awards
Donna Altenhof Award
Presented to a College of Fine Arts staff member (or one of its units), for a minimum of eight years and whose performance has been at an exemplary level of excellence for a sustained period.
Shelly Braun
School of Music
Excellence in Service – Community Engagement
Courtney Dodge
School of Music
Excellence in Service – Office & Administration
Melanie Marsh
College of Fine Arts
Excellence in Service – Student Services
Dan Howarth
School of Dance
Excellence in Service – Technical & Facilities
Lynn Richards
Center for Creative Photography
Shirley J. Heafy Employee of the Year
Presented to a staff member who has worked at Arizona Arts or its presenting units for no more than three years and whose overall performance has been at an exemplary level of excellence.
Denisse Brito
Center for Creative Photography
Arizona Arts Excellence Awards
Recognizes extraordinary contributions in moving Arizona Arts forward through research, teaching, mentorship, and service. Given to one undergraduate student, graduate student, faculty member and staff member.
Dr. Kimberly Mast, art (staff)
Dr. Kelsey Nussbaum, music (faculty)
Excellence in Fundraising Award
Presented to a faculty or administration who makes an important contribution to fundraising endeavors. Selection is made by the development office with approval by the Dean.
Duane Cyrus
School of Dance
Excellence in Fundraising Award – Staff
Presented to staff member who makes an important contribution to fundraising endeavors. The recipient is selected by the development office, with approval by the Dean.
Stephanie Silva
Arizona Arts
New Arizona Arts Staff
Arizona Arts Live
- Claire Hunter, Coordinator, Engagement Program
- Norma Lopez, Coordinator, Business Partnerships
- Rachael Silverman, Assistant Production Manager
Center for Creative Photography
- Grayson Agrella, Collections Assistant
School of Art
- Ginette Gonzalez, Program Coordinator
- Megan McNulty, Academic Advisor II
- Gary Setzer, Associate Director
- Karen Zimmerman, Interim Director
School of Dance
- Ivy Wahome, Coordinator, Costume Shop
School of Music
- Christina Beasley, Undergraduate Program Coordinator
- Marisabel Lares, Multimedia Specialist I
School of Theatre, Film & Television
- Frances Gateward, Director
- Christie Kerr, Associate Director
- Jessica Maerz, Academic Advisor II
- Jayna Rogers, Coordinator, Hanson
College of Fine Arts
- David Borycz, Assistant Dean, Finance
- David Boulton, Associate Director, Student Success
- Hasan Elahi, Dean, Arizona Arts
- Claire Gaylord, Coordinator, Student Success
- Amy Kraehe, AVP, Organizational Excellent and Impact
- Yuri Makino, Associate Dean, Student and Academic Affairs
- Ashley Martin-Casler, Student Program Coordinator
- Hannah Meyer, Academic Advisor II
- Annette Pas, Accounting Assistant III
- Emma Scheerens, Academic Advisor I
Promotion and Tenure
Promotion to Full Professor
- Ted Buchholz, music
- Tammy Dyke-Compton, dance
- Yuri Makino, TFTV
- Michael Mulcahy, TFTV
- Morris Palter, music
- Elaine Romero, TFTV
Promotion to Associate Professor with Tenure
- Kay He, music
- Jeehey Kim, art
- Alex Macias, art
- Marissa Olegario, music
Promotion to Associate Professor of Practice (CT)
- Matt Marcus, TFTV
New CFA Faculty
School of Art
Lamont “Mont” Allen, Assistant Professor of Practice, Art History
Okyoung Noh, Assistant Professor of Practice, First-Year Experience
School of Dance
Ruben Dorame-Leon, Assistant Professor of Practice
School of Music
Kristine Clough, Assistant Professor of Practice
Grace Ho, Assistant Professor, Piano Pedagogy
School of Theatre, Film & Television
Jennifer Gerber, Assistant Professor of Practice, FTV Production
Nikki Reed, Assistant Professor, FTV Studies
Erin Roberts, Assistant Professor of Practice, Live & Screened Performance